The Dorchester County Historical Society, Inc. was formed in May of 1953 by a small group of folks interested in preserving the rich history of the region. In February 1959, this group purchased the Meredith House, ca. 1760, which became the first home of the organization. Early on, it was obvious that the Meredith House could not contain all of the artifacts and documents that needed to be saved in order to tell the story of Dorchester County and its people.

In 1981, the Neild Museum was dedicated in honor of J. Stapleforte Neild and houses a broad collection of artifacts that illustrate farm life in Dorchester, from colonial times to the present. It highlights the connection of work and family, showing them interwoven even today. In the mid 1980s, the Goldsborough Stable was moved from Shoal Creek Manor to its present location on the LaGrange Avenue side of the campus. This space educates about the many roles that early farmers had to perform in order to maintain their properties and equipment.

By 2007, in need of more space once again, the Robbins Heritage Center was added, gaining more than 1600 square feet of exhibit space. This museum holds exhibits about Native American History, the Canning Industry, Marine Trades, Hunting and Trapping and more. A Waterfront Walkway was completed in 2009 and gives a marsh and water vista to visitors.

In recent years, the Meredith House has been repurposed to include the Family Life Center and houses an impressive family and local history library which is open to the public on a regular basis. The campus that is the home of the Dorchester County Historical Society, Inc. is known as the Museums and Gardens of Dorchester County.